Furred wall construction



Dec.` 17, 1957 N. NELssoN FURRED WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 19, 1954 FURRED WALL coNsrRUcTIoN This invention relatesV to al building construction and more particularly to a clip for securing a course of wallboard panels to a. support disposed therebehind.

It has been found in the erection of a wall or ceiling that improved structuralcharacteristics result if the course of wallboard panels is spaced. from the adjacent surface of the, support and is resiliently anchored thereto. Various clipsfor usein sucherections have heretofore beenproposed which are possessed` of numerous shortcomings by reason of the fact that they are of complex and` costly construction or are awkward and diii'icultl to apply to-the support or panels and therefore, their utility is impaired.

Thus it is.one of the objects of this invention to provide a clipwhich is of simple, yet sturdy, construction and isformed of inexpensive wire material.

It is afurt'ner object of, this invention to provide a clip of unitary construction and one which may be readily applied to the support and panels by one not skilled in the art.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a clip which facilitates the erection of a wall or ceiling which is possessed of improved structural characteristics.

Further and additional objects will appear fromthe description, accompanying drawings, andl appended claims.

Inaccordance with one embodiment of thisinvention a clipis provided for use in anchoring to a support a course of wallboard panels, wherein the panels thereof are arranged in abutting edge-to-edge coplanar relation. The clip is of bent wire construction and includes a pair of substantially U-shaped first sections arranged in inverse relation and embracing the joint-forming edge of adjacent panels of the course. The bight' portions of the first sections arein overlapping relation with respect to one another so that only a single thickness of the wire material will be disposedv within the joint formed by theadjacent panels. Corresponding free legs of the U-shaped first sections a-re interconnected by abail-like second section which lis disposed wit-hina plane which issubstantially transverse tothe planes formed by said iirst sections. The second section is adapted to contact the exposed surfaces of the adjacent panels, which form the joint within which the overlapping' bight portions of the tirst sections are` dis posed. Extending angularly from the free leg of one of the rst sections in a direction away from the plane formed by the second section and also, if desired, away from the planes formed by said iirst sections, is an elongated resilient third section. The third section terminates within an eye which is disposed above the area defined by the bail-like second section. The eye is adapted to contact the side of the support and to accommodate a nail, screw, or other similar fastening device. Extending transversely from the free leg of the other first section is an elongated fourth section, which is adapted to be disposed between the support and the concealed surface of one of the adjacent panels of the course. The fourth section is disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation with respect to the plane formed by the bail-like second section and is provided with a portion, otset away from the plane of Staes Patent i6 iQ@ saidlsecond section, for yieldahly contactingtheside ofthe support against which said course of panels. is anchored andy for eliecting furring away from said support surface thev concealed panel surfaces.

For a more complete understanding ofl thisinvention, reference should be made to the drawings wherein;

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective View ofl an irnpro'ved ceiling construction;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2 2 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the improved clip shown applied inFig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a left side elevational view of Fig, 3,

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, a ceiling construction is shown,l in this instance, which comprises a course 10 of wallboard panels arranged in abutting edge-to-edge coplanar relation, a support 11 disposed thereabove, and an improved c lip llZnforV anchoring the course of panels to the support. The Course 1 0, as shown `in this instance, is formed of a` plurality of folded edge wallboard panels 13a and 13b which are in. abutting edge-to-edge relation and have one ofthe joints 14V formed by. said abutting panels disposed substantially. transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the support 1,1'.

The improved clip 12, as seeny more clearly in Figs. 3 Land 4, is formed, in this instance, from a piece of. bent wire material and comprises a pair of substantially U-shaped first sections 15 and 16, respectively, which. are arranged. in inverse substantially coplanar relation and have the respective bight portions 15a, and` 16a thereof arranged in overlapping relation. The terms substantially coplanar are intended to include lthe relation of the first sections 15. and 16, as shown, wherein the bight portions 15a and 16a overlap one another.' The open end of each of the rst sections 1S and 16 is adapted to accommodate the abutting joint-forming edge of an adjacent panel. In instances where the bight portions 15a and 16a of the first sections 15 and 16, respectively, are in, overlapping relation,- only a single thickness of thebent wire material is disposed within the joint 14 formed between the adjacent panels 13a and 13b of the course 1 0 thereby keeping `the size kof the joint to a minimum. The ends of the corresponding lower legs 15b and 16b of sections 15 and 16j, respectively, are interconnected to one another by a bail-like second, section 17 which, as seenA in Fig. 2, is disposed within a plane which is substantially transverse to the planes formed by the first sections '15 and 1,6. Section 17 is adapted to engage Vthe exposed surfaces of the adjacent ypanels 13a and 13b, and to extend a considerable distance on opposite sides of the joint 14.

Extending angularly from the upper free leg 15C of section is a resilient third section 18 which is bent back partially with respect to leg 15c and olset from the plane formed by section 15 as well as the plane formed'l by second section 17'. While third section 18 is` shown i-nthe dra-wing as'` being 4offset from the planes of-iirst sections 151 and 16, it may, in certain installations, be disposed substantially coplanar with one or the other of these planes. The free end of section 18 terminates in an eye 20 and is adapted to engage the surface 11a of support 11, which is disposed substantially normal to the exposed surface of the course 10. The eye 20 is adapted to accommodate a nail, screw, or other similar fasteningdevice 21 which penetrates the support 11, as shown in Fig. l. Extending transversely from the free leg 16C of iirst section 16 is an elongated fourth section 22 which is in spaced parallel relation with respect to the plane of second section 17. The end 22a of section 22, as seen in Fig. 2, is oiset n a direction away from the plane of second section 17 and is adapted to etect point engagement with the surface 11b of support 11 so as to insure furring away from said surface the course 10 of panels. By reason of the furring action, resulting from the offsetting of fourth section 22 and the resiliency of the third section 18 which positively anchors the course to the support 11, the resulting ceiling is possessed of improved structural characteristics particularly in regard to sound transmission resistance and the minimizing of crack formation. When in instances where plaster is applied to the exposed surface of panel course 10, the combined weight of the panels and plaster might be suflicient to result in section 18 moving relative to and away from leg 15C and to cause the panels to be furred away from the adjacent surface 11b of the support a greater amount than that effected by odset end 22a so that said end is out of contact with the support.

In applying the clip, the U-shaped section 16 is first brought into embracing engagement with the exposed edge of panel 13a, which has previously been secured at its other edge to a support. In applying section 16 to the panel edge, the offset end 22a of section 22 is brought into yieldable point contact with support surface 11b. Subsequent to the panel edge being accommodated by clip section 16, the arm section 18 is secured to the side of the support 11 and then panel 13b is pushed into engagement with U-section 15. This procedure is followed for the subsequent rows of clips to be applied during the erection of the ceiling.

Thus, it will be seen that a clip has been provided which is formed of inexpensive wire material, is simple, yet sturdy in construction, and is effective in operation. Furthermore, the clip facilitates erection of a ceiling which is possessed of improved structural characteristics.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it Will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

l. A clip for anchoring a pair of wallboard panels arranged in contiguous edge-to-edge coplanar relation to a support, said clip being formed of a continuous length of wire and comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped rst sections, each section having an inner leg segment and an outer leg segment, said leg segments being interconnected at one corresponding end by a bight segment, said first sections being disposed in substantially coplanar relation and defining a first plane, the open sides of said U-shaped first sections being oppositely disposed and adapted to encompass the edge portions of contiguous Wallboard panels and effect retention thereof in coplanar relation, a support-attaching resilient second section extending angularly from the free end of the inner leg segment of one of said first sections and having means thereon adapted to be fixedly secured to the support, a resilient third section extending angularly from the corresponding free end of the inner leg segment of the other first section, said third section being angularly disposed with respect to said first plane and said second section, the terminal end of said third section being angularly offset and adapted to be disposed intermediate of and to resliently engage the surfaces of the support and Wallboard panel adjacent one another, and a fourth section interconnecting the outer leg segments of said first sections and defining a second plane disposed substantially normal to said first plane, said fourth section and said third section being in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other on the same side of said first plane and cooperating With one another to effect substantial encompassing of one of the Wallboard panels.

2. A building construction comprising a support, a plurality of Wallboard panels arranged in contiguous edgeto-edge coplanar relation to form a course of panels disposed to one side of said support, a joint formed between contiguous panels being transversely disposed with respect to said support, and a clip of a continuous length of wire anchoring said panels in spaced relation to said support, said clip including a pair of substantially U- shaped first sections, each having an inner leg segment and an outer leg segment, said leg segments interconnected at one corresponding end by a bight segment, said first sections being disposed in substantially coplanar relation and defining a first plane, the open sides of said first sections being oppositely disposed and encompassing the edge portions of said contiguous Wallboard panels, an elongated resilient second section extending angularly from the free end of the inner leg segment of one of said first sections and engaging the surface of said panel course adjacent said support, the distal end of said second section being spaced from said panel course and affixed to said support, an elongated third section extending angularly from the free end of the inner leg segment of the other first section and being in engagement with the surface of said panel course adjacent said support, said third section being angularly disposed with respect to said first plane and being provided with an offset portion in resilient contact with said panel surface and the adjacent support surface, and a fourth section interconnecting the outer leg segments of said first sections, said fourth section and the outer leg segments interconnected, thereby defining a second plane disposed substantially normal with respect to said first plane, said fourth section engaging the surface of said panels opposite from that contacted by said third section portion and cooperating with the latter to effect substantial encompassing of one of said panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,969,244 Venzie Aug. 7, 1934 2,048,641 Venzie `uly 21, 1936 2,317,907 Gent Apr. 27, 1943 2,347,961 Olsen May 2, 1944 2,620,531 Chandler Dec. 9, 1952 2,641,035 Nelsson June 9, 1953 2,661,515 Nelsson Dec. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 961,203 France Nov. 14, 1949 

